Built in car vacuum

ABSTRACT

This invention teaches a system and a method for cleaning a car by means of a vacuum. Tubes extend from a vacuum motor to inlets distributed around a car. When the vacuum motor is turned on, dirt (dust, smoke) are sucked by the vacuum motor into a vacuum bag unwanted gases are either vented out of the car or filtered out. Clean filtered air may be returned to the car or vented out of the car.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The average car serves many functions. Thus, in the morning a business person may carpool her children to school and then bring her husband to the subway before meeting an important client in the afternoon. In such a case it is clear that the dirt and smell that builds up in the car during the morning is detrimental to the meeting with the client in the afternoon. Similarly potentially harmful chemicals can build up in a car (for example due to volatile organic chemicals and solvents present in new cars or due to release of potentially hazardous organic chemicals when plastic materials are heated in a locked car that is parked in the sun). Thus there is a well-recognized need to have a quick easy way to clean the floor of a car and to clean or replace the air inside a car. The current invention fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided a vacuum cleaner built into a car including a collection bag, a collection tube and a motor.

According to further features illustrated in preferred embodiments below, the vacuum cleaner further includes a grinder to break large objects and prevent obstruction of the collection tube.

According to further features illustrated in preferred embodiments below, the vacuum cleaner further includes a retractable vacuum arm that automatically sweeps over the floor of the car.

According to further features illustrated in preferred embodiments below, the vacuum cleaner further includes a retractable hose.

According to further features illustrated in preferred embodiments below, the vacuum cleaner further includes a vacuum hose connector.

LIST OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of the current invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of a car including the current invention.

FIG. 3 is a photograph of a car including the current invention

FIG. 4 is a photograph of the inside of a car including the current invention.

FIG. 5 is a sketch of a box inlet grating according to the current invention.

FIG. 6 is a sketch of a retractable vacuum arm according to the current invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing a car cleaning apparatus according to the current invention. The Apparatus includes an electric motor 2. When a user presses a button on the dashboard of his car, motor 2 (which is a typical 2 KW commercial vacuum cleaner motor, alternatively a larger motor may be used in up to 20 KW) produces suction drawing air dirt and dust into inlets 5 a-h. Motor 2 receives electric power from the electrical system of the car. Dust and dirt are trapped in a vacuum bag 1 while air goes out of the bag and is vented out of the car. Inlets 5 h and 5 g suck dirt and air from the floor in front of driver seat 4 c whereas inlets 5 f and 5 e suck dirt and air from the floor in front of front passenger seat 4 b. Inlets 5 a-d suck dirt and air from the floor in front of rear seats 4 a and 4 b.

There is also provided a coupling inlet 6 a and 6 b for attaching to a standard vacuum hose. A user wishing to manually vacuum the car attaches a vacuum hose to inlet 6 a (to clean the front of the car) or inlet 6 b to clan the rear of the car. When a hose is not attached, a respective cover closes each coupling inlet 6 a-b to prevent loss of vacuum. Alternatively, coupling inlets 6 a and 6 b may include a retractable vacuum hose.

Inlets 5 h, 5 e, 5 d, and 5 a are installed in the lower inside of the wall of the car. Thus, when the vacuum is running, dirt is drawn across the floor into inlet 5 h, 5 e, 5 d, or 5 a. On the other hand inlets 5 b, 5 c, 5 f and 5 g are installed in low spots in the floor of the car. Dirt and dust falls or rolls down the floor into inlets 5 b, 5 c, 5 f and 5 g. Inlets 5 b, 5 c, 5 f and 5 g are placed on the lowest part of the floor, thus dirt sand tend to roll toward Inlets 5 b, 5 c, 5 f and 5 g via gravity as well as due to suction. Movement and shaking of the car during travel help to draw dirt towards inlets 5 b, 5 c, 5 f and 5 g. Alternatively, the floor of the car may be built on a grating with a pan mounted under the floor (see FIG. 5 a-b). Dirt falls through the holes in the grating and into the pan to be sucked into vacuum bag 1. An upper inlet may be included also near the driver and passenger ash tray so that if the driver or passenger smokes the upper inlet sucks smoke out of the car. A retractable arm may be included (see FIG. 6) to apply suction in a more focused way over the floor and to sweep dirt out of carpeting.

It is understood that tube 3 may be installed in the ventilation system (air conditioner vents) of the car or may be installed independently. Air may be vented out of the car or recirculated back into the car (after undergoing filtration by a screen or a charcoal filter or an ionization or other air freshening apparatus). The system may include a cleanable trap or a grinder to prevent large heavy objects from blocking tube 3 or damaging motor 2, as is known in the art of ventilation and drainage system design. To increase suction it is possible to close one or more inlets 5 a-h.

FIG. 2 shows a car 200 having a vacuum cleaner according to the current invention installed. Inlets 205 are installed in the passenger compartment while motor 202 and vacuum bag 201 are installed in the trunk of car 200.

FIG. 3 is a picture of a car 300 having a vacuum installed according to the current invention. Vacuum bag 301 is installed in the trunk of car 300, tube 303 is installed in the floor of car 300 and inlets 305 a, 305 b, 305 c and 305 d are shown.

FIG. 4 is a picture of the interior of a car with a cleaner installed according to the current invention. Visible are inlets 405 a-d.

FIG. 5 a-b show two views of an alternative box inlet grating according to the current invention. FIG. 5 a is a 3D top view of a box inlet grating. The floor of the car is a carpet mounted on a screen grating 515 over a shallow box 512 with an inlet 505 leading to vacuum pipe 503. When a vacuum is applied to pipe 503, dirt is sucked downward through the carpeting of the car and through screened grating 515 into box 512 and inlet 505 and through pipe 503 to a vacuum bag to be discarded. FIG. 5 b is a side view of the box inlet grating of FIG. 5 a. From the side it can be seen that the bottom of box 512 is sloped so that dirt sucked through grating 515 falls toward inlet 505.

FIG. 6 shows a rotating floor cleaner of the current invention. When a vacuum is applied to via an inlet 605 to a hollow vacuum arm 617, hollow vacuum arm 617 rises from the floor of the car (similar to automatic sprinkler systems) and rotates (a partial rotation of 40 degrees) around pivot 616. Suction is thus applied to the floor in a circular section under rotating hollow vacuum arm 617. Simultaneously brushes 620 sweep dirt up from the floor. Once dirt is released from the floor by sweeping it is easily drawn by suction through vacuum arm 617 into inlet 605. When the vacuum is not in use, vacuum arm 617 retracts into the floor and does not obstruct movement of passengers.

It is understood that the cleaner of the current invention could be installed in all kinds of vehicles (not only cars but) buses, planes, trains and the like. 

1. A vacuum cleaner built into a car comprising a collection bag, a collection tube and motor.
 2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a grinder to break large objects and prevent obstruction of said collection tube.
 3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a retractable vacuum arm.
 4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a retractable hose.
 5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum hose connector 